Within the long-awaited superhero gathering of The Defenders, Marvel’s enjoying catchup in additional methods than one. First, the comedian large’s studio arm has to make the mandatory (re)introductions to Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, andIron Fist, whose team-up was scheduled earlier than Charlie Cox first stepped into Hell’s Kitchen. These callbacks are labored slightly effortlessly into the brand new collection’ setup, however are nonetheless an efficient crash course for anybody who missed out on one or all three of the earlier entries. And there’s simply the correct amount of exposition doled out amid Jessica’s (Krysten Ritter) quipping and Danny Rand’s (Finn Jones) bloviating that being unfamiliar with The Hand doesn’t stay an issue for lengthy.

The economical use of exposition and improved pacing are indicators that Marvel Studios and Netflix have been taking notes on the solo collection, which have notoriously been gentle on plot and meandered towards their conclusions. These points haven’t been completely resolved; even with simply eight episodes, showrunners Marco Ramirez and Douglas Petrie nonetheless handle to dawdle. However total, The Defenders runs leaner and meaner (extra on that in a bit) than every other Netflix Marvel present. Even beneath the lingering shadows, the primary episode feels downright breezy at instances, making surprisingly fast work of getting our heroes—Matt Murdock (Cox), who’s refusing to go by Daredevil; Jessica; Luke Cage (Mike Colter); and Danny, who simply needs everybody to name him Iron Fist already, you guys—again to New York.

This all occurs within the premiere, which incorporates an unintentionally humorous second (or is it?) the place Danny is stunned to be taught somebody really acknowledges him as Iron Fist. That throwaway line is a component of what’s, if not an outright act of contrition, then an acknowledgment that momentum has been misplaced. It’s not simply that even the most effective outings (seasons certainly one of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage,and Daredevil) unfolded at a fitful tempo, however the groundwork that had been laid since 2015 was weakened, not bolstered, by Iron Fist. Scott Buck’s contribution to the franchise suffered from an absence of urgency, underwhelming battle sequences, and Jones’ picket portrayal of the immortal warrior.

So as to get better floor, The Defenders ramps up the motion by constructing off smaller confrontations and really incomes its midseason cliffhanger. Alongside the best way, the present takes frequent swipes at Danny, often through Jessica or Luke (Daredevil is sympathetic towards the oblivious billionaire, due to course he’s). Most of the complaints critics and viewers had about Iron Fist work their manner into the dialogue, together with the privilege he isn’t conscious he’s continuously benefiting from and asserting. At instances, the criticism is shoehorned into the dialog; at others, it offers a extra devastating blow than Danny’s glowing fist.

Not like Daredevil (the character and the collection), The Defenders doesn’t dwell in self-flagellation mode. The primary half of the season is a potent mixture of humor, dread, and ass-kicking. Even with Iron Fist tagging alongside because the annoying youthful brother—who may purchase and promote you and the constructing you reside in a thousand instances over—the Defenders shine as a workforce and as people (effectively, most of them). Somewhat than hit pause on their bigger arcs, the collection explores completely different components of Jessica’s restoration and Matt’s penitence, whereas fleshing out the tales of Luke’s reentry and Danny’s seek for vengeance. These parts are used to each forge and undermine their partnership. Everybody here’s a loner, both by desire or circumstance, however they’ll grudgingly work collectively to guard New York Metropolis, which provides one thing compelling sufficient to every character that it’s handled as a residing organism itself—the attractive opening credit are made up of maps of the Massive Apple, whose streets are CGI-ed to seem like firing synapses and pulsing veins.

And it truly is the entire metropolis that’s more and more beneath assault from The Hand, the clandestine group first launched in Daredevil, led right here by Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver), a chic however lethal adversary. Together with Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho), who we first noticed in Daredevil, Alexandra primarily needs to tackle—or perhaps take out—Iron Fist. However she’s additionally ready to dispatch anybody who will get in her manner. Enter the super-but-not-heroic mates, who lastly band collectively by the top of episode three. Director Peter Hoar makes that outing largely well worth the wait, however The Defenders can’t fairly get away from losing time.

Elodie Yung and Sigourney Weaver (Picture: Sarah Shatz/Netflix)

The massive-screen model of the MCU is continuously knocked for its one-note villains, however that’s one problem that the Netflix collection have largely prevented. From Kingpin to Kilgrave to Cottonmouth, the streaming exhibits have supplied up complicated antagonists, who transcend being egomaniacal evildoers. (Madame Gao may make this checklist, if she weren’t up towards such an unworthy foe). In Weaver’s palms, Alexandra is formidable and intriguing, swaddled as she is in what usually seem like actually costly duvets. Though she’s knowledgeable by different MCU villains—Alexandra shares Ronan The Accuser’s zealotry, Mariah’s poise, and Ultron’s indifference to the human situation—she’s far more than simply an amalgam. She’s nearer to a time lord than a hand-rubbing baddie; she’s each indifferent from and invested in humanity.

Weaver’s so good within the function that it’s nearly a waste to set her primarily towards the Iron Fist. In a twist out of a comic book, The Defenders comes up towards certainly one of its personal, as Danny stays the weak hyperlink, and Jones seems petulant and nearly boorish within the face of everybody else’s soulfulness and poignancy. Ramirez and Petrie could have discovered exhausting classes about pacing, however they haven’t added a lot to this character. Nonetheless, with Marvel collection alumni S.J. Clarkson (who helmed the primary two episodes), Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, and Phil Abraham on board, The Defenders has simply as highly effective a workforce offscreen as on, and appears prepared to dam any future blows from Iron Fist.